8 Possible Reasons Fat Itches When Losing Weight

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About 2/3 of obese people say they itch more when trying to lose weight, and no one knows why. We'll talk about 8 possible explanations for the itching so you can learn more!

Itching and Weight Loss: The Research

Though there hasn’t been a great deal of scientific research on the subject of itching and weight loss, a few studies have looked into the phenomenon.

In one study, published in the journal Obesity in 2016, 66 percent of obese and overweight individuals reported experiencing an increase in itching when they began to lose weight.

The study’s authors note that the increase in itching was particularly pronounced in those who lost a significant amount of weight quickly. Itching was also more common in individuals who were carrying more weight around their midsections.

Eight Possible Explanations for Why Fat May Itch When Losing Weight

why fat itches when losing weight

There are a number of potential explanations for why fat may itch when losing weight. Here are eight possible reasons:

Fat cell shrinkage

When you lose extra fat, your skin may get dry and itchy. Good news though, there are some things you can do to make the itching less bothersome.

Drink lots of water to keep skin hydrated and stop the itch from getting worse. Put on lotion or moisturizer on any dry or irritated parts of your body. And don’t scratch too much! Scratching may seem like it helps, but it could hurt more in the end if you do it too much.

Stick with these tips and hopefully you’ll be able to manage the itching with little trouble!

Excess skin

When someone loses a lot of weight quickly, it is possible that the skin on their body will get loose and kind of hang down. This can lead to itching.

It is important to make sure you drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated, since this can help reduce the itching.

Yes, it may be tempting sometimes to scratch but try hard not scratch too much because scratching makes the itching worse in the end!

Weight loss medication

If you are taking medicine to help you get skinny, this could be what is causing you to be itchy. Lots of weight loss medicines have stimulants like caffeine or guarana in them, which can make your skin dry and irritated.

If that might be why you are itchy, talk to your doctor about getting a different weight loss medication. Your doctor may be able to give you one that won’t cause your skin to get so dry and itchy.

Underlying skin conditions

If you are itchy without losing weight, you may have one of several skin conditions. These conditions can make your itching worse if you do lose weight.

Psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis are the most common causes. If this is happening to you, tell your doctor and they can give you ideas on how to stop your itching.

Dry weather

If you live in an area that is dry, it can make your fat itch more when you start to lose weight. This happens because the dry weather makes the skin more uncomfortable and can cause irritation.

To fix this, try drinking lots of water to stay hydrated and using a humidifier in your home. This will add moisture back into the air around where you live so that your skin won’t feel as uncomfortably dry!

Hot showers

Showers that are too hot can take away the oils from your skin. This might cause it to get dry and itchy. If showering with hot water makes the itching worse, try taking colder showers instead.

Tight clothing

Tight clothes can make skin feel itchy. Things like polyester and nylon are not very nice on the skin and they can really irritate it.

It’s a good idea to wear something looser made out of natural materials like cotton instead – this will often help!

Stress

If you think that feeling itchy when losing weight might be related to stress, it may help to take steps towards relaxing.

Do things like yoga, meditation or going outside in nature which can all help with reducing the amount of stress.

Stress sometimes causes skin to not feel moisturized and even become irritated, so if you’re feeling extra stressed out – try doing something calming!

Conclusion on does fat itch when losing weight?

Studies show that 2 out of 3 people who are overweight or have too much fat on their body may experience itching when they begin to lose weight.

This happens for a few different reasons like not drinking enough water, wearing clothes too tight, showering in hot water for too long, being outside in cold weather and even some other skin conditions.

To help make this less itchy you should drink lots of water and wear comfortable clothing which isn’t very tight on your skin. If itching becomes really bad then talk to your doctor about how to make it better!

Now that you know why fat can itch when losing weight try not to scratch and follow the steps above so you don’t get as much itching!

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